NEWS - ASIA, MIDDLE EAST & AFRICA
promise of free plastic bags in Malaysia faces backlash
Malaysia’s right-wing Barisan Nasional party
has promised to bring back free plastic
bags if it should recapture Selangor in the
upcoming 14th general election. Selangor
BN information chief Mohamed Satim
Diman announced the plans as part of the
BN manifesto earlier this month. The ruling
federal coalition will also cease the practice
of making shoppers pay 20 sen (US$0.05) if
they want plastic bags when buying groceries.
Satim added that the Selangor government
would set up a production factory to
ensure free usage. However, the proposal
has failed to entice and has generated considerable
backlash concerning efforts to
protect the environment. According to Free
Malaysia Today, state executive councillor
Phee Boon Poh said the mere suggestion
to give free plastic bags when out shopping
was against every effort to cut down the use
of plastic bags in the country.“It is offensive
to mankind and mother nature. Here, we are
trying hard to cut down on the use of plastic
bags in our country and these people want
to reverse it.” A complete ban on plastic
bags took effect in 2011. The policy covers
Malaysia’s hypermarkets, supermarkets,
departmental stores, convenience stores,
fast food restaurants, petrol stations and
pharmacies. Anti-plastic bag campaigns in
previous years have proven to be effective
as most shoppers in Penang carry their own
bags and trolleys, as a result of an increased
consciousness about the environment. “It
is funny the Selangor leaders want to give
away free plastic bags when Prime Minister
Najib Razak told a UN climate change summit
in Copenhagen in 2009 that the country
aims to reduce CO2 emissions by 40 per
cent, come 2020,” Phee added.
Engen filling stations in
Namibia to sell local music
A Namibian music store has secured a contract
with Engen Petroleum to distribute local
music at the company’s service stations.
Antonio’s Art announced last week that it
would be selling an extensive catalogue
of Namibian artists at 57 Engen garages
across the southern African country The
development is designed to make it easier
for locals to access Namibian music and to
prop up physical sales in the country “Engen
and Antonio’s Art are proud to announce
that they will be selling Namibian music at
57 outlets countrywide,” a post on the Antonio’s
Art Facebook page reads. Antonio’s
Art and Deal Done Recordz owner Dragan
Djokic said he had signed a consignment
deal with the South African company. Musicians
who will have their CDs available
at Engen stations include RnB artist Ann
Singer (pictured), The Dogg, Elemotho, Big
Ben, Gazza, Sally Boss Madam, PDK, Tate
Buti, Young T, Shitana, Jomolizo and Kuku
Nkandanga, among others. The deal was
welcomed by Namibian artists who see it as
a positive move towards the growth of the local
music industry. “It’s a great move for the
artist because Engen is available in almost
every part of Namibia,” kwaito artist The
Dogg told Music In Africa. “It makes music
accessible to people so that they can buy
rather than resort to piracy.”
Thai PTT’s unit earns P2 million from SCTEx-Station toilet
PTT Philippines Corp. said this month it has
raised P2 million from operations of its Restroom
20, a first class, air-conditioned toilet
at its 2-hectare PTT SCTEx station, the firm’s
largest service station in the Philippines At
the grand opening of PTT Subic-Clark–Tarlac
Expressway (SCTEx), PTT Philippines
President and CEO Sukanya Seriyothin
showcased the unique features of Restroom
20, a pay-toilet concept that originated from
the firm’s parent PTT Public Co. Ltd. , Thailand’s
largest oil and gas firm. Restroom 20
has been designed to be luxurious but, at
the same time, environment- and customer
friendly. It has a solar roof that could
save energy of as much as 1.5-megawatt
per month, according to Seriyothin.“The
amount of energy that we save on a monthly
basis is ranging from almost 900 kilowatts
per month to as high as 1.5-megawatts,”
she said. “And that can be translated to
about P100,000 savings per year.” Funds
raised PTT’s Restroom 20 are donated to
charity with over P2-million raised since they
began operations. PTT currently has two
Restroom 20s in the Philippines “Our customers
deserve more than what we offer in
our pump. We cannot just simply offer fuel
to our customers in this highly competitive
downstream industry,” Seriyothin said. “
Zimbabwe Government moves into fuel retailing
Zimbabwe energy and Power Development
Minister Simon Khaya Moyo has revealed
the government’s acquisition of Trek Petroleum,
inviting scorn from legislators who queried
government’s apparent invasion of the
retail sector. Addressing backbenchers in
parliament, Moyo said the firm was acquired
through government’s petroleum agent, National
Oil Infrastructure Company (NOIC) of
Zimbabwe, formerly NOCZIM. Moyo did not
reveal details over the deal although he assured
the House that the government was
keen to stick to world trends in fuel pricing
in the wake of recent price increases in the
country. However, the minister’s announcement
was met with concerns as MPs, led by
Magwegwe legislator Anele Ndebele, questioned
the controversial venture. MPs felt the
acquisition crowded out private companies
from selling petrol, however Moyo insisted
the move was a security strategy oriented
towards protecting citizens against price
hikes rather than for generating profits. He
said:“If we leave the entire market in the
hands of monopolies, you would find that
the price of petrol tomorrow will be $5 per
litre and others will go to $6 or whatever
price.” He added: “You cannot afford to ignore
and leave people on their own and let
Total or any other private company do as
they please. We cannot do that.” Trek Petroleum,
which began operating in 2010, was
reported to own 24 service stations countrywide
employing around 600 people.
ENOC opens largest station
in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia
Emirates National Oil Co. (ENOC) has , this
month, opened the largest service station
in Riyadh, in presence of the company’s
chief executive, Saif Al Falasi. The company
operated through 14 stations across the
Kingdom at the end of 2017. Speaking to Argaam
Al Falasi said that Saudi Arabia is the
main focus of the fuel retailer’s expansions,
particularly in the retail business.
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